National Federation of Disabled plunges into controversy

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KATHMANDU, March 12: The recent amendment in the constitution of the National Federation of the Disabled has received flak from many organisations working for the disabled who have termed it as "unconstitutional and ‘unilateral’ decision of its chairman.

These organisations alleged that the constitution was amended without seeking two-thirds majority vote and after excluding 22 out of its 52 registered organizations. The allegations of lack of transparency in the affairs of the federation including gross financial irregularities, deprivation of affiliations to new organisations and renewing the old ones have come on the eve of the fourth convention of the federation commencing tomorrow.

While new NGOs working for the disabled are said to be deprived of affiliations, the old ones are not getting renewal, according to them. 150 NGOs all over the country are yet to be affiliated with the federation.

" We have been sidelined. No transparency has been maintained in all decision-making processes of the federation on crucial matters," Rukmagat Neupane of Nepal Consolidation Movement Coordination Committee of the federation told the press today.

The committee works as a pressure group for the interests of the concerned NGOs deprived of affiliations. The charges of irregularities against the federation have been registered with the CDO for action, which they say may lead to postponement of the convention. Although a huge budget including foreign grants have been pumped into the programmes of the federation, the target group has not been benefited so far.

Meanwhile, Govinda Acharya, one of the members of the committee alleged the appointment of corrupt people into higher levels of the organisation has greatly affected the performance of the organisation.

A case of corruption against Nar Bahadur Limbu has been registered with the Centre for Investigation of Abuse of Authority (CIAA), according to him. He also demanded that the minister give his decision on the matter within a week.

" If the minister did not withdraw his decision, we would take the case to the King," he further added.

Irish HR activist ushers in ‘Global Women's Strike’

By Sudha Shrestha

KATHMANDU, March 12: She came all the way from Ireland to give a message to Nepali village women who lost their husbands and children in the seven-year Maoist insurgency. Margarette D’Arcy, the Irish playwright who has made waves in northern Ireland as the vocal human right activist through her radio station ( Radio-pirate) for suppressed women, recently took part in the celebration of the 93rd International Women’s Day in Kathmandu. Although she was here in connection with the conference on community radios (AMOK), she ushered in here a movement - the Global Women’s Strike.

With much enthusiasm, she shared the jubilations of the Day’s celebrations with the kids of the Prisoners’ Assistance-Nepal with slogans "Money for kids and moms, not for wars and bombs". The celebrations were organised by Indira Rana, a devoted social worker running a home for children of jailed parents in collaboration with World famous Nepali cyclist, Pushkar Shah.

Global Women’s Strike is the women’s movement taken up in 64 countries for social justice. Although women account two-thirds of the work force in the world, , their works are hardly paid and often go unrecognised. The message of the movement is invest in life and welfare, not in military budgets and prisons.

"War is not valuable. What is valuable today is the caring works that women today do in the family, in the society and in the community. It is deeply shocking that the value of caring works of poor village women are not given due recognition. The governments should spend their resources on these women instead of war," said the Irish playwright, who holds high reputation back home.

When it comes to Nepali village women, Margaretta is filled with both inspiration and rage. With strong and courageous signs in the face of miseries, they have become simply a source of inspiration to her.

" The village women are not as ignorant as the so-called modern people think. They do know how to care for baby and their community better than us," said Margaretta.

She is more vociferous when it comes to the state that spends more on arms than on the welfare of women and children.

" Now these women should speak up as to what the war has done to them and decide how the government money should be spent.They should be the vital part of the peace process," added the mother of four.

Being a child of World War II (her birth date 1934), Margaretta had come across face to face with the war and devastated lives of women and children caused by the war.

Starting life as an actress of a theatre, for Margaretta, war itself has become a theatre. And this, she said," women have got to change the type of theatre now we experience and men need to help them.".

After quitting school education in the middle, Margaretta began her life as the theatre actress and also took to writing dramas making her views known through her works. Along with her British husband, John Arden also a creative writer, she intensified her creative works writing a series of dramas.

According to her, the creative spark is largely derived from her experience of British imperialism in Ireland and the suffering and bitterness it causes. She was imprisoned twice for vociferously protesting against injustices in northern Ireland and depicted her experience in a semi-autobiographical Tell them everything’.

But in the later part of her life, she has a revelation that writing books alone is not enough for the better world of women. Activism is what she thinks is necessary to push the governments into good things for women.

" My main mission has come to realise the importance of works that women do in the family and the society because creativity starts from women themselves. Giving birth to a child, caring it and the community, she serves as something which no one can do other than women," said the radio-pirate woman. Even in her 60s, the Irish lady is as vocal and confident as anything and always ready to fight for injustices against the suppressed poor people including women and children in the villages.

Collection of stories released

KATHMANDU, March 12 (PR) - Former prime minister Kirti Nidhi Bista released a collection of short stories called "Kashingar"written by Dr. Jaya Narayan Giri here today.

Addressing the programme Kirti Nidhi Bista said, "Literature is such a powerful thing that if one is not impressed by it, he/she is not a human."

Different analyzer like Professors Dr. Daya Ram Shrestha, Dhakur Parajuli, Dr. Gargi Sharma and Academician Ghataraj Bhattarai presented their analytical view about "Kashingar" at the programme.

"Kashingar"was firstly published by Jashbir Tamang in 1951A .D. from Kolkata, but before this it was not available in Nepal. Therefore, to make it accessible, Mrs. Jaya Narayan published it once again.

Personalities felicitated

KATHMANDU, March 12 (PR) - The chief Lama, Thulchhik Rimpoche of the Dingma heritage of the Buddhist religion, today honoured individuals from the Sherpa community who have made significant contribution to the society.

The individual were felicitated at a programme titled, "2130 Chu Mo Luhak Lhosar’, organised by the Serwi Chumo Lukla Losar organising committee. At the function, those felicitated include the first Sherpa journalist of Nepal who works at Kantipur daily, Ang Tshering Sherpa, the first Dr. Lakpa Norbu Sherpa, medical doctor Dr. Mingma Gyalgen Sherpa, engineer Tenzing Sherpa, Acarya Ingingwaser Sherpa, folk singer Dwaya Lakpa Sherpa and Dendi Sherpa. Similarly, others awarded at the function were mountaineers Angrita Sherpa, Appa Sherpa and social worker Ang Tshering Lama.

The two-day programme was observed with dances and songs from the Sherpa community and by felicitating various personalities.

Environment sector programme extended

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KATHMANDU, March 12: His Majesty’s Government and the government of Denmark have agreed to extend the timeframe of the first phase of Environment Sector Programme Support (ESPS) by one more year. The first phase was originally slated to be completed in July, 2004.

Secretary at the Ministry of Industry, Commerce and Supplies Lava Kumar Devkota and Royal Danish Ambassador to Nepal Gert Meinecke, on behalf of the government of Nepal and the government of Denmark respectively, signed the agreement here today.

"The agreement has been reached on the basis of the progress of the ESPS as shown by the annual review of the ESPS conducted recently," said Pranav Lal Shrestha, national programme director of the ESPS.

The weakness pointed by the review report will be addressed besides doing some preparatory works for the second phase of ESPS, which will begin after the expiry of the first phase by 2005 July in the extended timeframe, it is said.

ESPS, supported by the Danish aid agency, DANIDA, is a five-year project aimed at strengthening the overall environmental management of the brown sector in Nepal. The development objective of ESPS is to support Nepal Environment Policy and Action Plan.

The programme comprises of institutional environment management, cleaner production and occupational health and safety in industries, wastewater treatment in Hetauda, institutional strengthening of environmental authorities and air quality management in the Kathmandu valley.

Dalit woman files case against priest

By Binod Tripathee

BAGNLUNG, March 12: A dalit woman has filed a complaint in the District Court demanding justice for the inhuman behaviour meted out to her by a priest. The victim was denied entry to a Saraswati temple constructed with the joint participation of people of all castes in the area, according to the complaint.

Untouchability is prohibited by the constitution and is punishable by law.

Naramaya Bishwakarma, 20, a dalit woman in her complaint said that she was denied permission inside a newly constructed Saraswati temple in Rayadanda VDC.

On the day of Saraswati puja, a few days ago, Laxman Gautam, the priest denied her the permission to enter the temple despite her standing in queue.

"Even the sight of an untouchable is a bad omen, so they should not be allowed inside the temple," Bishwakarma quoted the priest. "He even insulted me in the public" lamented Bishwakarma.

After the event she approached the local mothers’ group for justice. However, even Kumari Thapa, the chairman of the mothers’ group sided with the prejudiced priest and she had to face humiliation again, according to Bishwakarma.

"Since I could not get justice I filed a complaint against the priest and Thapa," said Bishwakarma.

"This is the first case filed by a dalit woman against injustice claiming her rights," said Prakash Pandit, the registrar at the court.

Ex-kamaiyas need to utilise forest wealth judiciously

By Mohan Budda Aer

KAILALI, March 12: It seems that the freed kamaiyas who are settled around and near the protected community forests need to be imparted the knowledge and significance pertaining to equal participation and use of forest products.

The protected and community forests are based on the users’ group concept whereby groups are required to participate in forest protection and use of forest products equally among themselves in a systematic manner without detrimental outcome on the gross product and carrying capacity of the forest. However, wayward and indiscriminate use of the forests may be detrimental, if the kamaiyas who have settled around these forest regions carry on without ample knowledge of the consequences that would emanate.

It is learnt that a majority of the freed kamaiya camps in this district have been established in and around the forests there. This week the Forest Environment Forum on behalf of a community-based Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO) had also carried out a study about the knowledge, participation and on the consumption of the forest product that the kamaiyas around this region had about protected and community forests.

A freed kamaiya from the Sri Lanka camp adjacent to the Ugratara community forest in ward-7, Lal Bahadur Chaudhary laments, that they have been deprived from the equal use and consumption of the forest benefits. The community forest committee for this forest though have placed them under the users’ group list, but this committee has not been sharing the information about the work and action, concept of the forest, and have barred them even from utilising the forest produce equally like others, he added. According to these kamaiyas, though they have shown their willingness and participation in this scheme, yet it is only the previous users who have been getting the maximum benefit from this forest.

When the turn for procuring the fodder and wood from this forest comes after a long interval of time, the forest committee allows all the family members of the older users to engage in this activity per head, while for the freed kamaiyas, only a person from each family per head is allowed to participate. So, there is discrimination as regards consumption of the forest product, Lal Bahadur contended.

If they are deprived from reaping the fruit of the forest equally, then they will not show interest in forest protection work, say the freed kamaiyas from Likma Kamaiya camp. Neharu Chaudhary who was selected to become a member of this Community Forest Committee is also of the view that though Rs 25 from each house-hold had been collected as donation for the forest protection work, the kamaiyas have not been provided equal opportunities like others. The officers from the committee refute this.

Since the freed kamaiyas are being rehabilitated recently, their demand for the raw materials is more than the other earlier settlers there, Feru Lal Chaudhary opined. The earlier users of the forest are well settled as they have better houses and ample wood. Hence, the kamaiyas need to avail more benefits from the forest at the moment, he added.

Carrot farming popular in Makawanpur

RSS

HETAUDA, March 12: Carrot farming has been popular in various Village Development Committees of Makawanpur district and this year the sales of carrot have been started in the local market and outside the district.

The carrots produced in the district have been sent to various markets including Kathmandu, Pokhara, Birgunj, Bharatpur, Bhairahawa and Gorkha, according to the District Agriculture Office.

One bundle of carrot is sold at a price of Rs. 3 to 5 in the local market which costs Rs. 8 to 12 in other markets.

Carrot farming is being done in an area of about 4,685 hectares of land in about 13 Village Development Committees and Hetauda municipality of Makawanpur district, the office said. About 2,600 farmers are involved in the carrot farming in the district.

A carrot farmer makes a net annual income of Rs. 74,000 in one season from the carrot farming, said horticulture officer Maheshwor Lamichhane.

The District Office has been encouraging the local farmers to do carrot farming through its agriculture centre.

Delay in Banke road construction irks locals

By Rudra Khadka

NEPALGUNJ, March 12: Two motorable roads lying incomplete for a considerable length of time has only irked and disappointed the locals in Banke district. Despite repeated promises of construction works completion by the concerned bodies, the 15-kilometres Paraspur-Gaughat road remains incomplete even after a decade whereas another road in the district faces a similar fate, according to sources.

The DDC had started the construction works on Paraspur-Gaughat road right after the restoration of democracy in the country in 1990. Even the District Road Office (DRO) extended its help in the road construction.

The road benefits most of the VDCs in western Banke and also serves some in Bardiya district.

Agricultural Road Plan had undertaken the construction works of the road since 1997. However, the road still remains incomplete.

The Agricultural Road Plan had promised to complete the works on the road within three years. However, while the road is still incomplete, its budget is reduced this year, according to a source.

"The Agricultural Road Plan had promised to complete the road within three years. Stoppage on its construction works has only vexed the expectant locals," said Man Bahadur Oli, the outgoing Chairman of Sitapur VDC.

Due to the overwhelming demand of the locals, vehicles ply along the incomplete road of which five per cent is yet to be gravelled.

Even the other 13-kilometre long Bankatti-Betahani road in the district is in a similar condition.

The ongoing works have come to a halt this year due to budget constraint. The road was under construction by Agricultural Road Plan with the budget from the centre.

"Though the centre stopped the budget to these roads, the DDC is committed to resume construction works with its own fund," said Ganesh Gyanwali, the Local Development Officer (LDO) at the DDC.

Once the Agricultural Road Plan undertook the construction works of the two roads, it constructed seven and a half kilometre of the Paraspur-Gaughat road and four and a half kilometres of the Bankatti-Betahani road.

Police allegedly beat up nine people in Amlekhgunj

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BARA, March 12: Around 700 people, including women, in Amlekhgunj today demonstrated in the streets demanding strong action against the policemen from Hetauda who had manhandled them about a week ago.

The locals alleged that a police team led by inspector Prekchhak Kumar Shrestha from Makwanpur District Police Office severely beat up nine people, including a pregnant woman, on the night of March 5. The victims have formed a struggle committee led by former chairman of Amlekhgunj VDC Bharat Bahadur Ghale to get their demands fulfilled.

Ghale said they would block the busy east-west Highway if the administration did not take strong action within a week against the policemen responsible for manhandling the locals.

The policemen on regular patrol allegedly beat up Fulmaya Magar, pregnant Urmila Lama and her husband Dev Bahadur Lama, Raju Lama, Bijaya Lama, Deepak Patel, Ghanashyam Shrestha, Birendra Gurung and Rim Bahadur Thakuri. District police officials in Hetauda, however, could not be reached for comment in connection with the incident.

Bheri Zonal Hospital mounts fresh bid to attain regional status

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NEPALGUNJ, March 12: After failing in three attempts to convert itself into a regional hospital, the Bheri Zone Hospital situated in Nepalgunj, has now applied again for the fourth time.

Since the past six years this hospital has been trying hard for a regional status and has put its demand to the concerned body as well, but to no avail so far. The doctors of this hospital argue that though it has been providing its services to people of two regions of mid and far-western development regions, yet its name and facility has been restricted to just Bheri Zone Hospital without entitlement to enhanced facilities in keeping with the work it has been doing.

It is learnt that this hospital has been extending its services to people of mid and far-western regions. "If the facility is increased considering the number of patients that come in for treatment, the people could have availed of better treatment," reiterated the medical superintendent of the Bheri Zone Hospital, Dr Durga Pradhan.

Including the rooms for encephalitis patients and the Maoist’s inflicted victims, there are 180 beds at present in this hospital. Nine departments including medical, surgical, gynaecology, paediatric, ortho-paediatric, ENT, dermatology, dentistry, and mental in the Bheri Zone hospital extend services to the patients of that region as well as to patients from other districts.

With hopes of succeeding in their fourth attempt, the Hospital Development Committee has put forth its demand to the Health Ministry to acquire a regional hospital status. Acquiring this status means an increase in the infrastructure and human-resource facility.

"This time we have better testimonials and reasons of having provided medical treatment to the victims of Maoist’s insurgency during the period of emergency in the country which provides us a better chance this time for succeeding in our endeavour," contends Dr Pradhan.

It is learnt that during a period of 14 months since the imposition of emergency, 270 Maoist-inflicted victims from various districts of mid and far mid-western regional had received treatment in the Bier Zone Hospital.

According to sources at the hospital, within this one year period, 90,000 patients had been provided medical treatment while 3,000 had undergone surgical treatment.

Foreign guests received with warmth in Damauli

By Prakash Adhikari

DAMAULI, March 12: The locals at Adhikarithok-Dhayere village of Jamune VDC-7 in Tanahun district were joyful when welcoming their beloved foreign guests whom they received with garlands amidst melodious music from the Nepali panche baja.

The help extended by the Finland government through its two nationals has brought a great change in their lives and they were simply too happy to receive them in their own village to inaugurate a drinking water project.

"The Finland government supported the one million rupee water project with over Rs. 500,000," said Narayani Adhikari, a local.

Started last year with active locals’ participation and the joint initiation of the VDC, DDC and the Finland government, 108 families in the village now enjoy fresh drinking water facility upon the completion of the water project recently.

The Chagé d’affaires Finland Asko Luukkainen and Hemo Ojanen, the team leader of the water project inaugurated the project today.

"Locals should be all the more concerned about the maintenance of the project and sanitation measures," said Luukkainen in his inaugural address. Until the completion of the project, locals were deprived of clean drinking water facility for a long time.

With enough water running through their taps, the locals plan to lead better and healthy lives. Running water taps have specially excited the women who plan to cultivate vegetable on wasteland. Upon the materialisation of the water projects, 35 households without latrines are all set to construct a new latrine. Apart from 111 private taps, the project has also installed 608 taps that benefit 608 people.

Life affected by snowfall

SIMIKOT, March 12 (PR) - Snowfall today in Humla in the mid-west district has affected the normal life. Around three inches of snow piled around Simikot, the district headquarters. This has led to flight cancellation from Nepalgunj and Surkhet to the district. This has mainly disappointed the farmers because they cannot tend to their farms for some days due to the snow.

Police nab cow smugglers

SIRAHA, March 12 (PR) - Police held a person with 33 cows he was smuggling to India from Siraha district. A police patrol unit under Baburam Yadav, the Assistant Sub-inspector of Police from Singahimaran Police Post made the arrest near the Kamala river, the meeting point of Siraha and Dhanusha districts. The person arrested is identified as Mustafan, an Indian national. According to Mustafan, the cows were bought from Choharwa bazaar area of Siraha district. However, other six accomplices managed to escape.

Maoists demand money from teacher

BAGLUNG, March 12 (PR) – Maoist rebels reportedly demanded Rs 67,000 in cash from Paramananda Pulami, a teacher of a school in Amalachaur VDC. CPN-UML district secretary Shri Prasad Sharma said that the rebel Maoists would take physical action if the teacher did not meet their demand. This is the first ever case in the district that the rebels have resorted to extortion since the case-fire was announced on January 29. Following the mutual cease-fire announcement, Maoist Supremo Prachanda had issued a public statement that their party would stop extorting money from people.

One dies of meningitis

BHADRAPUR, March 12 (PR) - One died of meningitis while undergoing treatment at B.P. Koirala Hospital on Monday, according to the family sources. The deceased is identified as Prem Khanal, 21, at Golabari of Mechinagar-2. Khanal was infected with the disease in Pokhara and was admitted to the hospital after his arrival at his home 10 days ago, according to Jagannath Khanal, the deceased’s father.

Assistance to Myanglung fire victims

BHADRAPUR, March 12(RSS)- The District Development Committee (DDC), Jhapa, has provided co-operation of Rs 27,000 in cash for the fire victims of Myanglung bazaar, the headquarters of Terhathum district. Of the said sum, Rs 10,000 has been provided from the DDC fund and Rs 17,000 has been raised from the employees of the same office, it is learnt from programme officer Megh Raj Pokharel.

Narayani University to be established

BIRGUNJ, March 12 (RSS)- Narayani University will be established in Birgunj of mid-development region. We have proposed to establish a university in Birgunj in accordance with the government’s policy of establishing a university in all the development region, said Mohan Gopal Khetan, chairman of Hari Khetan Multiple Campus Management Committee. " The university will be fully service oriented, " he said. Presenting a concept paper on the Narayani University Dr. Mahendra Prasad Gupta said there are 308 secondary schools in Narayani zone alone and most of the students are compelled to go to India and Kathmandu, therefore, there is the need to establish a university in Birgunj. There is the need of Rs. 100 million and 25 bighas of land to establish a university and if there is co-operation from all sides, the concept of the university will be materialised soon, Khetan said.

Deurali Eco-Club constituted

KANCHANJUNGHA, March 12 (RSS)- Deurali Eco-Club has been formed at the Sabitri Primary School, which lies inside the Kanchanjungha Conservation Area. The club was formed with a view to preserve the environment and generate awareness about the importance of the environment to the students. The club has been formed under the convenorship of Indra Kumar Limbu.